support gay rights activist's bid for refuge in canada

I hope you all have heard about Gareth Henry, the Jamaican gay rights activist who is seeking refuge in Canada. Thirteen - thirteen - of Henry's friends have been murdered because they were gay in the past four years. After years of living in fear, Henry has finally decided that he must fight this battle from outside his country's borders.

I'll use this as another opportunity to direct you to Slap Upside The Head, my favourite gay activist blogger.

Slap Upside gives you the scoop, plus a perspective on Canada's record on gay people seeking asylum. In brief: it stinks. If this is going to change, Canadians need to raise a stink themselves, by contacting their MPs, writing letters to the editor and raising the issue every way they can.

Slap also mentions perhaps the only leverage that can make a difference in Jamaica itself: tourism. If Canada (and other liberal countries) issued warnings about travel to Jamaica, and travel to Jamaica dropped off, someone in that Caribbean nation might take notice.

Please read Slap Upside The Head on Gareth Henry.